Of Fauchards and Berdiches

Pottering about I've been working on my Lion Rampant Retinue, getting a dozen models made.  I was able to purchase the Fireforge Templar Knights and Foot Sergeants for a very reasonable price from Fat Spider; giving me all the models for the 13th Century Feudal English force I chose to begin.

 

Not maybe the most imaginative choice, but hey, don't mess with the classics!

I'd already put two knights together as a test, and so got down to finishing the first unit.

They need cleaning up, but I'm reasonably happy with the group.

The Sergeants box contains some 48 figures, with parts for crossbows, hand weapons and spears.  But when looking at the descriptions of infantry of the period, one item that are regularly referenced are polearms and long axes.  My basic plans for the box had left a dozen figures wanting a role and it seemed appropriate to see if I could convert some figures to this type of weapon.

Historically polearms evolved from simple designs in the 12th century to the more complex forms and variety of later centuries:

I figured that the spear arms and the open crossbow arms could combine with a little reposing to make acceptable forms, that just left the weapons themselves.  The axes in the set would provide some of the weapons, but for the others it was a simple case of working with some off-cuts of sprue.

Half a unit took the length of the F1 highlights to assemble.  They have a decent range of poses and I can visualise a few more to get from the parts available.  Each large unit will have a standard bearer as a leader model, as y'know, you can never have too many pretty flags n an army.  Then this lot will be ready to fight in the Barons wars, raid and invade Wales, Scotland, Ireland and the continent; or play the role of other foreign nations if needed.

It's just a case of finishing them first!